Human cytomegalovirus RNA vaccines

Abstract

HCMV ribonucleic acid (RNA) vaccines, as well as methods of using the vaccines and compositions comprising the vaccines.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of treating or inhibiting human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) infection or preventing symptoms associated with HCMV infection, comprising administering to a subject a hCMV vaccine that comprises (a) a messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) polynucleotide comprising an open reading frame encoding a hCMV gH polypeptide; (b) a mRNA polynucleotide comprising an open reading frame encoding a hCMV gL polypeptide; (c) a mRNA polynucleotide comprising an open reading frame encoding a hCMV UL128 polypeptide; (d) a mRNA polynucleotide comprising an open reading frame encoding a hCMV UL130 polypeptide; (e) a mRNA polynucleotide comprising an open reading frame encoding a hCMV UL131A polypeptide; and (f) a mRNA polynucleotide comprising an open reading frame encoding a hCMV gB polypeptide, wherein the mRNA polynucleotides of (a)-(f) are formulated in a lipid nanoparticle that comprises a molar ratio of 20-60% ionizable cationic lipid, 5-25% non-cationic lipid, 25-55% sterol, and 0.5-15% PEG-modified lipid, in an effective amount to induce an immune response in the subject, wherein the mRNA polynucleotides of (a)-(f) are not self-replicating RNA. 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mRNA polynucleotide of (a)-(f) further encodes a 5′ terminal cap, 7mG(5′)ppp(5′)NlmpNp. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least 80% of the uracil in the open reading frame of (a)-(f) have a chemical modification selected from 1-methyl-pseudouridine or 1-ethyl-pseudouridine. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the chemical modification is in the carbon-5 position of the uracil. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the efficacy of the vaccine in vaccinated subjects is at least 60%, relative to unvaccinated subjects, following a single dose of the vaccine. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the efficacy of the vaccine in vaccinated subjects is at least 70%, relative to unvaccinated subjects, following a single dose of the vaccine. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the efficacy of the vaccine in vaccinated subjects is at least 80%, relative to unvaccinated subjects, following a single dose of the vaccine. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the efficacy of the vaccine in vaccinated subjects is at least 90%, relative to unvaccinated subjects, following a single dose of the vaccine. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the effective amount is sufficient to produce detectable levels of hCMV gH, gL, UL128, UL130, UL131A and/or gB polypeptide as measured in serum of a subject vaccinated with a dose of the vaccine at 1-72 hours post administration. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the effective amount is sufficient to produce a 1,000-10,000 neutralization titer produced by neutralizing antibody against the hCMV gH, gL, UL128, UL130, UL131A and/or gB polypeptide as measured in serum of a subject vaccinated with a dose of the vaccine at 1-72 hours post administration. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein an anti-hCMV gH, gL, UL128, UL130, UL131A and/or gB polypeptide antibody titer produced in a subject vaccinated with a dose of the vaccine is increased by at least 1 log relative to a control, wherein the control is an anti-hCMV gH, gL, UL128, UL130, UL131A and/or gB polypeptide antibody titer produced in a subject who has not been administered a vaccine against hCMV. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the anti-hCMV gH, gL, UL128, UL130, UL131A and/or gB polypeptide antibody titer produced in a subject vaccinated with a dose of the vaccine is increased at least 2 times relative to a control, wherein the control is an anti-hCMV gH, gL, UL128, UL130, UL131A and/or gB polypeptide antibody titer produced in a subject who has not been administered a vaccine against hCMV. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the effective amount is a total dose of 25 μg-200 μg. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the effective amount is a total dose of 25 μg-100 μg. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ionizable cationic lipid comprises the following compound: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hCMV gH polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence that has at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 59, the hCMV gL polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence that has at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 61, the hCMV UL128 polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence that has at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 63, the hCMV UL130 polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence that has at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 65, the hCMV UL131A polypeptide comprises an amino acid sequence that has at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 67, and/or the hCMV gB protein comprises an amino acid sequence that has at least 90% identity to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 69. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the hCMV gH polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 59, the hCMV gL polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 61, the hCMV UL128 polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 63, the hCMV UL130 polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 65, the hCMV UL131A polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 67, and/or the hCMV gB protein comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 69. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the mRNA polynucleotide of (a) comprises a sequence that has at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 108, the mRNA polynucleotide of (b) comprises a sequence that has at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 109, the mRNA polynucleotide of (c) comprises a sequence that has at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 110, the mRNA polynucleotide of (d) comprises a sequence that has at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 93, the mRNA polynucleotide of (e) comprises a sequence that has at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 112, and/or the mRNA polynucleotide of (f) comprises a sequence that has at least 90% identity to the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 83. 
     
     
       19. A method of treating or inhibiting human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) infection or preventing symptoms associated with HCMV infection, comprising administering to a subject a hCMV vaccine that comprises (a) a RNA polynucleotide comprising nucleotides 46-2437 of SEQ ID NO: 108, (b) a RNA polynucleotide comprising nucleotides 46-1045 of SEQ ID NO: 109, (c) a RNA polynucleotide comprising nucleotides 46-724 of SEQ ID NO: 110, (d) a RNA polynucleotide comprising nucleotides 46-853 of SEQ ID NO: 93, (e) a RNA polynucleotide comprising nucleotides 46-598 of SEQ ID NO: 112, and (f) a RNA polynucleotide comprising nucleotides 46-2932 of SEQ ID NO: 83, wherein the RNA polynucleotides of (a)-(f) are formulated in a lipid nanoparticle that comprises a molar ratio of 20-60% ionizable cationic lipid, 5-25% non-cationic lipid, 25-55% sterol, and 0.5-15% PEG-modified lipid, in an effective amount to induce an immune response in a subject administered a dose of the vaccine. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the RNA polynucleotides of (a)-(f) are mRNA polynucleotides. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 19 , wherein the RNA polynucleotides further comprise a polyA tail. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , wherein the polyA tail is 100 nucleotides.